For his House Music Series performance, violist Jordan Bak performs two animated movements of Lisa Heffter’s Viola Suite in C. Bak had worked with her before on her first viola suite and loved it, so learning this newly composed work was a natural next step. For this suite, he even had the pleasure of interpreting the music Heffter composed and helped her add markings to her score.

Bak first performed with Metropolis Ensemble in December 2019 at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City featuring music by Guatemalan-born singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno. The concert was part of the Ecstatic Music Festival, a series of performances that celebrates today’s boundary-pushing contemporary music. The night was an unforgettable and thrilling evening for Bak, and here, he follows it up with an equally-spirited performance of new work.

Both of the movements of Heffter’s Suite that Bak plays are bursting with energy; the first is bouncy and playful, while the second is fast-paced and urgent. Both exemplify Bak’s virtuosity as he swims through the complex passages and illuminates their finer sentiments. The result is a high-octane performance, brought to you from Bak’s home office. — Vanessa Ague

 
Episode: 62
Date: November 3, 2020
Artist: Jordan Bak
Instrumentation: Viola
Work: Two movements from "Viola Suite in C Major"
Composer: Lisa Heffter
 

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